7/16/2009 @ 6:00PM

In Depth: Best Places To Begin A Career

In compiling this list, we considered 350 of the country’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSA), and in cases where they were not available, Metropolitan Divisions (MDs); both are geographic entities defined by the
U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OBM) for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics to form our list. In each we measured the concentration of top companies–using two Forbes lists: America’s 400 Best Big Companies, and Forbes’ America’s 200 Best Small Companies–and their concentration of top alumni from a basket of elite schools, as well as cost of living considerations. Metros are in parenthesis.

20. Milwaukee, Wis.

(Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis)

Population: 1.5 million

Milwaukee may not get much credit for its economic development, but given its 83rd overall ranking in its ability to attract talented young professionals, it’s clear the city is performing ahead of its reputation. What’s more, it ranks 30th overall for its concentration of small companies and ninth overall for its concentration of big companies. One particularly high achiever is Wisconsin Energy.